


Humble Beginnings

by AllHailQueenPidge



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Galaxy Garrison, Gen, Hunk & Lance (Voltron) Friendship, Hunk (Voltron) is so Pure, Hurt/Comfort, Lance (Voltron) Angst, Lance (Voltron)-centric, Pre-Kerberos Mission, cargo pilot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-07
Updated: 2019-09-07
Packaged: 2020-10-12 01:41:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20556113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllHailQueenPidge/pseuds/AllHailQueenPidge
Summary: The final tests scores are in and Lance didn't make the cut for fighter pilot class. He's devastated so Hunk tries his best to cheer him up.OrLance is upset, Hunk is a wonderful best friend and Lance hates Keith a lot.





	Humble Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally posted on my tumblr for Julance but I decided to clean it up and post it here. I hope you enjoy the story!

Today was the day. At 3 o'clock today the cadets test scores will be released and the list dividing them into fighter pilots and cargo pilots will be hung up on the noticeboard. Nervous was an understatement of what Lance was feeling. He was currently in physics class chewing his pen viciously and aggressively bouncing his leg under his desk.

"Lance, can you stop shaking your leg? You're causing the whole desk to shake," Hunk whispered to him when the teacher turned around to write on the board.

"Sorry man, I didn't realise I was doing it,"  
Lance muttered back as he tried to stop his leg moving to no avail as the minute his eyes drifted back to the board the fidgeting resumed.

"It's okay, I know you're worried about getting your results," Hunk mumbled reassuringly which of course didn't reassure Lance.

"No I'm not!" Lance hissed back, garnering a few odd looks from the students around him. "I totally forgot that was today," he denied while waving his hands in a careless gesture to strengthen his facade of nonchalance. Hunk looked sceptical but he didn't push any further. Hunk was lucky, he didn't get his results until tomorrow along with the rest of the engineers.

Lance usually tries to pay attention in class or at least pretend to but today his mind was elsewhere and his focus was solely on his simulation scores. A million and one thoughts swirled around his head as the time ticked closer to three. What if he didn't make it into the fighter pilot division? What if he scored the worst in the class? What if he failed everything? What if they kicked him out because he did so terrible? His family would be so disappointed, he would never see Hunk again, and he'd never fulfill his dream of being a famous pilot and seeing the stars, really seeing them.

To distract himself from his growing panic he surveyed the room until they landed on a very familiar mullet. I bet he never worries about his results Lance thought jealously, perfect Keith who's amazing at everything. He aces all his simulations and he has even broke some of acclaimed up and coming star pilot Takashi Shirogane's (otherwise known as Lance's hero) records. Keith had the audacity to look bored while he himself was in the middle of a crisis. How dare he! Lance narrowed his eyes and intensified his glare. Stupid Keith with his stupid haircut. Ugh, what Lance wouldn't give to beat him in something just once.

"Lance, buddy, are you coming? The bell rang, class is over." Hunk nudged him out of his trance and leapt to his feet and raced out the door. This was the last class of the day and every cadet in their year would be racing to the noticeboard outside the main training room.

"Come on Hunk, come on. Everyone else is probably there already," Lance whined as he dragged Hunk by the sleeve of his orange jacket down the hall through droves of students. Eventually they reached the notice board with two lists pinned to it: the names of the students who, come next September, would be taking fighter pilot classes and the ones who would be taking cargo pilot classes along with their overall scores.

Lance said a silent prayer in Spanish before he ceremoniously shoved through the crowd to the front. His eyes scanned the fighter pilot list and he got more and more desperate each time he roamed over it and didn't see his name. He cast his eyes over to the cargo pilot list and five names from the top in black block letters was 'Lance McClain'. He compared his score to that of the fighter pilots and realised that he was just a few points off making the cut.

He walked back to Hunk with his head down and a sob bubbling up in his throat. His eyes were burning but he firmly told himself that he wasn't going to cry here, in front of everyone. Hunk took one look at his face and knew that Lance didn't get what he wanted.

"It's okay man," Hunk consoled him gently while rubbing his back "you'll get 'em next year. You know what'll cheer you up? My homemade chocolate chip and nut cookies and a movie marathon."

As they began to walk back to their room Lance spotted Keith walking away from the board too. When Lance was scanning the list he noticed that Keith scored the highest in the year and obviously was chosen for the fighter pilot division, however his face didn't reflect this. If anything he looked indifferent, as if he didn't care how he did. This made Lance furious. Lance worked so hard to achieve what Keith did effortlessly and Keith didn't even care. It boiled his blood and usually Lance would chose this moment to start an argument but today he was too tired, too upset.

Once the door of their room closed shut Lance allowed himself to break down. The second the tears began to fall Hunk wrapped his arms around him and soothingly stroked his hair.

"I worked so hard for this! I studied my ass off and I've never wanted anything more in my life. It's not fair! People like Keith just get handed these things and he doesn't even look like he cares. It's not fair! I try so hard but for what? I never seem to make it," Lance whined between heaving sobs. Hunk patted his back sympathetically.

"I know you wanted to make fighter pilot and I know how hard you worked for it. God knows I had to stay up and help you study for tests often enough. I know it seems unfair that despite all your efforts you still didn't make the cut and that sucks buddy. It sucks real hard but one day someone's gonna take notice of how hard you work and you're going to get your moment. I know now it seems like you'll always be stuck on the sidelines doing mediocre jobs but one day you'll get your chance to shine. Getting cargo may seem like the end of the world but I know in my heart you'll be the best darn cargo pilot the Garrison has ever seen!" Hunk's inspirational speech didn't help Lance's tears in the slightest -in fact he cried even harder because he doesn't deserve to have a friend as amazing as Hunk- and his heart filled with gratitude for his best friend. He wouldn't know what he'd do without him.

"Thanks man, you always know what to say." Lance wiped his tears as Hunk put on his favourite movie and they ate cookies until their stomaches ached.

Ten years later:  
"What did you get Harry?" A junior cadet eagerly asked her best friend as they waited by the noticeboard. She got her score yesterday and she came top of her class in communications. A few other cadets were gathered around discussing their results and a few senior officers were chatting a few meters away.

"I got cargo pilot," Harry replied dejectively as he folded his arms and lowered his eyes.

"Cargo isn't so bad," interjected Commander McClain who heard their conversation since he was in close proximity to the pair. "I myself started out as a cargo pilot, it's an honourable position."

The two teens were stunned that their flight simulation teacher and ex-paladin of Voltron started out as a cargo pilot. They wouldn't guessing nothing less than fighter pilot of not the best in the class.

"The world needs cargo pilots just as much as it needs fighter pilots. Without cargo pilots delivering supplies we would have lost many more lives. Lance left the cadets to consider his words as he walked off to the staff room.

"Maybe cargo isn't so bad after all," Harry admitted. After all if a defender of the universe was a cargo pilot there's no reason why he couldn't be too.

**Author's Note:**

> If anyone ever feels like Lance does here just know that you are enough and even if you didn't make the cut or are doing something less prestigious or less sought after just know that what you're doing is still important and worthwhile and Lance and Hunk are cheering you on!
> 
> If you liked the story give it a kudos and if you really liked it leave a comment! It would make my day.  
You can find me on [tumblr](https://allhailqueenpidge.tumblr.com/)  
with the same username!  
If you want to reblog the fic on tumblr here is the [link!](https://allhailqueenpidge.tumblr.com/post/187562500270/humble-beginnings-11-gen-platonic-hunk-and)


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